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HELP! Need to replace an aging Pronto with better remote system for around $1000
This thread has 2 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Monday September 24, 2012 at 21:33
rm2077
Lurking Member
Joined:
Posts:
January 2006
3
Hi All…I have been a member of the site for quite some time and it has been a great resource for me in keeping my various pronto remotes going as my equipment and configurations changed over the years. Unfortunately I now find myself like many others looking for a good pronto replacement. My price range is around $1000 but could go a little higher if there was a very persuasive feature that I could not live without.

My criteria is at very least to be able to replace my pronto for control of an extensive one room home theater and gaming system. The remote would need some sort of touch screen for macros but be simple to operate. Preferably I would prefer a row of hard buttons below the screen to control fixed functions. I will need a remote that I can have complete control of programing by software on my pc that does not require an installer. I change my equipment around often and need the flexibility to change the remote around as well. A good template selection would also be nice.

I would prefer an RF remote with an IR processor by the equipment that can control a DirecTV Sat box as well. Basically if I am going to spend $1000 I only want one remote for everything. Even with my current pronto I still need a separate DirecTV remote that I hope to eliminate with the new set up.

Not an absolute requirement but a bonus would be a simple future integration with a Luton lighting control, Luton IR light switches, and HVAC integration. I do not currently have this setup so I need flexibility.

Any and all help is appreciated. So far all I have found that seems close is the ProControl 24.Z. any feedback on the ProControl is also appreciated.
Post 2 made on Wednesday September 26, 2012 at 22:51
TRCGroup
Super Member
Joined:
Posts:
December 2007
4,149
You won't be ableto get the software for ProControl. For you I would recomend Nevo or Pronto, since you can easily get the software. However, since you already own a Pronto, I would recomend finding a local URC dealer that would be willing to give you the software.

Do a search here, this has been covered many times.
"You can't fix stupid."
Post 3 made on Thursday October 4, 2012 at 16:09
mburwen
Founding Member
Joined:
Posts:
August 2001
1,185
I recommend that you take a look at Touchsquid. This is an app that runs on Touchsquid's proprietary tablet or a Samsung Tab 2, both of which have built-in IR blasters. You can buy the Samsung tab 2 7" for $200 - $250 online and the app costs $50. If you are a Pronto programmer, you will find it trivial to set up. I've been using it now for a month and am very pleased. That said, there is an active user forum in which users can make improvement suggestions. As a result, a major rewrite of the app is under way, and I expect that it will be a considerable improvement over the existing app which is already very good. For example, the macro-generating system, which is now a bit clunky, will be replaced by a sophisticated macro editor.

The biggest drawback is that there are no hard buttons, so everything gets done on the touch screen. Offsetting that is the ability to do email, Internet searches, email, etc. In fact you can put links to other apps on the Touchsquid screens. The tablets are general-purpose Android tablets running Ice Cream Sandwich.

I want to mention that Touchsquid's tech support is the best I've ever encountered. You get to communicate directly with the developers by phone, email, or on their forum, and the response is almost immediate.

Personally, I wish there were a separate Forum category on Remote Central that deals with tablet-based remotes. I presume that not enough people are interested to justify it, but having worked with dedicated remotes for many years, I've concluded that tablet-based apps are the way of the future. For less than $300, the Touchsquid/Samsung tablet does almost everything a $2500 Pronto TSU 9800 can do.

By the way, the Samsung Tab 2 comes with a remote control app at no extra cost, but it is very rudimentary and does not compare with Touchsquid.

The Vizio and Sony tblets have IR Blasters built-in and free remote control apps, but the apps aren't very good. Touchsquid says that neither Vizio or Sony will release their IR interface specs. If that changes, I assume Touchsquid will run on those devices as well.

The other apps that run on tablets like iRule, rely on the Internet for signal transmission and require the purchase of a device that converts a WiFi signal to IR. Although those devices cost only around $100, the biggest drawback to these apps is the delay encoutered between issuing a command from the tablet and issuing the IR signal which I find annoying. iRule, by the way, is an excellent app, but is more difficult to use to get full benefit. iRule appears to be orienting it to the professional installer market.


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